Whyfor

Block apps on iPhone until you choose why

It asks why before it opens.

for anyone who's opened instagram mid-sentence.

i built whyfor because i kept opening instagram without meaning to. now it asks me why first. most of the time i don't have an answer.

try it yourself

tap instagram to try it

you know the drill.

  • you opened it for one message. now you're deep in someone's vacation photos.
  • you've hit 'ignore' so many times it's muscle memory.
  • you can't say where the hours went.

whyfor doesn't count minutes. it asks why, every single time.

How to block apps with Whyfor

Shield asking why you are opening an app, before it loads.

  1. 01

    1

    pick your apps

    Open a blocked app and a calm screen asks why, before anything loads.

    Shield asking why you are opening an app, before it loads.

  2. 02

    2

    say why

    Bored, habit, a message, work. Then 5, 15 or 30 minutes.

    Why sheet where you pick a reason and a time before the app opens.

  3. 03

    3

    see it all at night

    Time you meant to spend next to the time you spent.

    Sample recap of opens and minutes for each app.

See where your screen time really went

Every open, with the reason you gave. Meant and actual, side by side.

Sample recap of opens and minutes for each app.

Not just another app blocker

a question, not a timer

Every open gets a reason. Over a week you see patterns, not just minutes.

skipping doesn't unlock it

The recap puts the time you meant to spend next to the time you actually spent.

emergencies are fine. they just get logged.

Need in now? Get 5 minutes, a few times a day. Each one shows up in your recap.

no account. your answers stay on your phone. we never see them.

pricing

at launch: $49.99 a year or $7.99 a month, with 3 days free to try it.

Questions about blocking apps on iPhone

How do I block apps on iPhone?

Pick the apps that pull you in. Whyfor shields them on your iPhone and asks why before one opens. You choose a reason and a time.

Can I block Instagram on iPhone?

Yes. Shield Instagram the same way as any other app. Whyfor asks for a reason before it opens, and that reason stays in the recap on your iPhone.

Does Whyfor work with Screen Time?

Yes. Whyfor uses Apple's Screen Time to shield the apps you pick. The block lives on your iPhone.

Is Whyfor an Opal alternative?

Whyfor asks why before a blocked app opens, then shows what you meant to do next to what you did. It is an iPhone app with a yearly or monthly plan with a 3-day trial.

Is my usage data private?

Your reasons stay on your iPhone. This website stores an email only if you sign up, and only to tell you when Whyfor is out.

stop scrolling on autopilot.

be first to try it. one email on launch day, that's it.